Feature by Danielle Austin
From ancient rock paintings in the Kimberley to fine art in the Margaret River Region, Western Australia’s Aboriginal vibrant, evolving art scene is thousands of years in the making.
As one of the oldest living cultures on Earth, art plays an important role in Aboriginal folklore, with the stories, history and teachings of Aboriginal people preserved and generously shared through a tradition of storytelling in images. Intricately symbolistic, a strong culture of Aboriginal artists exists in Western Australia, with both ancient and contemporary art found from north of the state to the deep south west.
Imintji Campground Art Centre, Gibb River Road
See art in abundance in the Kimberley
The Kimberley is known for two traditions of rock art: the northern gorges are home to an abundance of sophisticated Gwion Gwion art, featuring graceful and slender figures that appear as a stain on the rock and in some cases date back as far as 65,000 years; the comparatively more modern Wandjina art depicts the Dreamtime story of the ghostly Wandjina Creation spirits, but the more temporal materials used mean these works have tended to deteriorate over time.
Art lovers can explore an off-the-beaten-track Aboriginal art experience throughout the Kimberley region as part of a small ship cruise itinerary, with the likes of True North offering its guests the chance to view both Gwion Gwion galleries and examples of the Wandjina. Cruising deep gorges offers an incredible vantage point from which to view the rich deposit of art painted and etched onto the red rock formations.
Alternatively, strike out across the rugged Kimberley landscape to visit a roster of Aboriginal art centres, including the likes of Waringarri Aboriginal Arts. Established in the late 1970s in Miriwoong country at Kununurra, the vibrant creative space was the first wholly Aboriginal owned art centre established in the Kimberley and is one of the oldest continuously operating art centres in Australia. Today the arts centre supports more than 100 painters, printmakers, wood carvers, boab engravers, sculptors and textile artists, and provides pathways for the economic independence of the artists and their communities. Other art centres worth searching out include Warmun Art Centre (200 kilometres south of Kununurra), owned and governed by Gija artists, Yarliyil Art Centre in Halls Creek and Imintji Art Centre, located at Imintji Campground and Art Centre on the Gibb River Road.
Aboriginal rock art at Walga Rock, near Cue
The Golden Outback's cave of wonders
You’ll find a treasure trove of Aboriginal art galleries hidden deep within rock caves throughout Western Australia’s Golden Outback, depicting the history and narratives of Aboriginal people. At the hulking monolith of Walga Rock, 48 kilometres west of Cue, you can view the largest gallery of Aboriginal rock paintings in the state. Among the works are unique depictions of ships visiting the Western Australian coast in the 17th century.
Mulka’s Cave, located in the vicinity of Wave Rock in Hyden, is also worth visiting. Its walls are covered with more than 450 hand stencils, an artform created by blowing pigment over a hand pressed to the rock to create a negative impression. The stencils are believed to depict adults and children, as well as the somewhat morbid Dreamtime legend of Mulka the Terrible, a giant evil spirit who lived within the cave. Local tours offer an opportunity to hear the Dreamtime stories depicted on the cave walls, as well as how the many nearby natural wonders came into existence.
Mulka's Cave, Hyden
Get hands on in Perth
Gallery and art emporium Creative Natives is an immersive experience in Aboriginal art from a number of regions across the state, and from both emerging and established Aboriginal artists. Celebrating a diversity of mediums, the works here are a winding exploration of connection to the land, ancient mythology and astrology, and stories of survival and political commentary, and offer a comparison of how art tradition and techniques vary between regions.
Located in the heart of Perth, the emporium is a mecca of Aboriginal art and artefacts, with intricately painted didgeridoos and boomerangs on display, a stunning range of hand-painted glassware and silk scarves, and even native teas for purchase. The gallery also runs workshops to share more of the long history behind Aboriginal art. Conducted by local Aboriginal artists and art experts, these sessions weave together storytelling and painting to explore the art symbols and codes unique to the different regions.
WA Museum Boola Bardip, Perth
Local artists in the South West
The only Aboriginal fine art gallery in the Margaret River Region, Bina Maya Gallery is well worth the drive south from Perth. Set on a bushland property in Yallingup, the gallery features works by artists from all over Australia, with a particular focus on local artists. The gallery is committed to sharing the stories behind each of the works on display, and cultivating a deeper understanding of Aboriginal cultures, and the fair and ethical purchase of Aboriginal art.
Please note that the Bina Maya Gallery is temporarily closed, with plans to reopen later this year.
Wandjina Aboriginal rock art, near Raft point
Published August 2022.